Garment having adjustable waistline

ABSTRACT

A lower body garment that includes a dynamic waist-resizing feature and method. A lower body garment includes a body portion adapted to be worn about a waist and a lower abdomen of a wearer, the body portion including a generally longitudinal opening extending from a waistline of the lower body garment, the generally longitudinal opening defining a first edge and second edge with the garment secured to the wearer when the edges are juxtaposed; and a garment closure assembly, coupled to the body portion near the generally longitudinal opening, including a closure fastener coupled to the first edge and two or more mating fasteners coupled to the second edge, the closure fastener repeatably engageable with and disengageable from one of the mating fasteners wherein a circumference of the waistline varies responsive to the closure fastener engaging with a particular one of the two or more mating fasteners.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to adjusting a waistcircumference of a garment, and more specifically to post-manufactureresizing of a waistline of a lower body garment worn about the waist andbelow.

Skirts, trousers, and other items of clothing are worn on the lower partof the body from the waist downward. It is sometimes the case that suchan item of clothing may fit properly at one time and at a later time thefit is less than desirable. For example a circumference of a waist ofwearer may vary over time and the clothing may become too tight (or tooloose) as the waistline expands (or contracts). Other measurements ofthe wearer, such as a hip circumference, may not change, or change lessradically than the waistline. Without adjusting a circumference of thewaistline, the clothing may fit poorly or cause discomfort. Sometimesthe user may be unable to wear the clothing.

Conventional solutions include an elastomeric disposed in a waistline oruse of a drawstring or other similar solution. These may not alwaysoffer the wearer the desired fashion look, potentially bunching aroundthe waist.

What is needed is a lower body garment that includes a dynamicwaist-resizing feature that addresses the limitations of conventionalsolutions.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed is a lower body garment that includes a dynamic waist-resizingfeature and method. A lower body garment includes a body portion adaptedto be worn about a waist and a lower abdomen of a wearer, the bodyportion including a generally longitudinal opening extending from awaistline of the lower body garment, the generally longitudinal openingdefining a first edge and second edge with the garment secured to thewearer when the edges are juxtaposed; and a garment closure assembly,coupled to the body portion near the generally longitudinal opening,including a closure fastener coupled to the first edge and two or moremating fasteners coupled to the second edge, the closure fastenerrepeatably engageable with and disengageable from one of the matingfasteners wherein a circumference of the waistline varies responsive tothe closure fastener engaging with a particular one of the two or moremating fasteners.

A waistline resizing method for a lower body garment worn about a waistof a wearer, the method includes (a) forming a generally longitudinalopening in a body portion of the lower body garment, the generallylongitudinal opening extending from the waistline, the generallylongitudinal opening defining a first edge and a second edge with thegarment secured to the wearer when the edges are juxtaposed; (b)disposing a closure fastener along the first edge; and (c) disposing twoor more mating fasteners along the second edge with the closure fastenerrepeatably engageable with and disengageable from one of the matingfasteners wherein a circumference of the waistline varies responsive tothe closure fastener engaging with a particular one of the two or moremating fasteners.

The present invention provides for an enhanced versatility of a lowerbody garment by permitting the wearer to resize a waistline. Preferredembodiments of the present invention have minor changes to non-waistmeasurements while offering an ability to provide significant dynamicwaistline alterations. The garments continue to have a tailoredappearance as the adjustability features may be hidden from public view.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a first schematic plan view of a lower body garment showing aconcealable, resizing, closure system; and

FIG. 2 is second schematic plan view of the lower body garment of FIG. 1closed, which completely conceals the closure system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a lower body garment that includes adynamic waist-resizing feature and method. The following description ispresented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use theinvention and is provided in the context of a patent application and itsrequirements. Various modifications to the preferred embodiment and thegeneric principles and features described herein will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art. Thus, the present invention is notintended to be limited to the embodiment shown but is to be accorded thewidest scope consistent with the principles and features describedherein.

FIG. 1 is a first schematic plan view of a lower body garment 100showing a concealable, resizing, closure system. FIG. 2 is secondschematic plan view of lower body garment 100 closed, which completelyconceals the closure system. Garment 100 includes a body portion 105having a waistline 110. An opening 115 is generally longitudinal andextends from waistline 110 to define a first edge 120 and a second edge125. A closure system includes a closure fastener 130 and two or moremating fasteners (e.g., first mating fastener 135 and second matingfastener 140). The fasteners of the closure system, disposed near firstedge 120 and second edge 125, may not extend fully to a top of waistline110.

Garment 100 may include a skirt, trousers, shorts, or other lower bodygarment having a waistline and extending from the waist towards theankles and covering at least a portion of the lower abdomen. Opening 115may be a fly-type opening, or it may be located at some other location,for example a side or rear of garment 100.

Preferably first edge 120 is formed to overlap second edge 125 so thatthe closure system is hidden when closure fastener 130 engages any ofthe mating fasteners, including first mating fastener 135 and secondmating fastener 140. The fasteners may include virtually any type offastening system, the preferred embodiment uses zippers for ease ofengagement and disengagement of the closure system.

Closure fastener 130 is selectably (and repeatedly) engageable with, anddisengageable from, any of the mating fasteners disposed on second edge125. A circumference of waistline 110 varies responsive to which matingfasteners are engaged. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1,when closure fastener 130 engages first mating fastener 135, waistline110 has a larger circumference than when closure fastener 130 engagessecond mating fastener 140.

In the preferred embodiment, the mating fasteners are linear andnon-parallel and diverge from one another as they approach waistline110. The paths of the fasteners are referred to as mating paths anddetermine how body portion 105 is resized when the closure system isclosed and secures body portion 105 to the wearer. The preferreddiverging paths disclosed herein provide for minimal changes to a hipcircumference measurement while providing for a greatest variation inthe circumference of waistline 110. In the preferred embodiment, adifference of about one inch between adjacent mating paths, at waistline110, is used. However, other implementations may prefer a larger orsmaller change, and may prefer mating paths that are different from thedisclosed linear paths. For example, by diverging the mating paths awayfrom the waistline, it is possible to maintain a waist circumferenceabout constant while varying lower abdomen/hip circumference.

In operation, a wearer steps into garment 110 and pulls it up nearher/his waist. The wearer chooses which mating fastener to engage withclosing fastener 130 and closes opening 115 to provide the desiredwaistline circumference, while hiding the unengaged mating fastener(s)and securing it to his/her body. At some other time, the wearer maychoose to engage a different mating fastener with closing fastener 130when securing garment 130 to her/his body, and thereby change thewaistline circumference.

The preceding describes a preferred lower body garment that includes adynamic waist-resizing feature and method. Manufacturers, based upontheir individual decision-making, will offer one or more sizes of thesesystems, with differing numbers of mating fasteners, different fastenersin different locations spaced differently with different mating paths,to meet the needs of its customers and clients, all of which areincluded within the scope of the present invention.

In the description herein, numerous specific details are provided, suchas examples of components and/or methods, to provide a thoroughunderstanding of embodiments of the present invention. One skilled inthe relevant art will recognize, however, that an embodiment of theinvention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details,or with other apparatus, systems, assemblies, methods, components,materials, parts, and/or the like. In other instances, well-knownstructures, materials, or operations are not specifically shown ordescribed in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of thepresent invention.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “anembodiment”, or “a specific embodiment” means that a particular feature,structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodimentis included in at least one embodiment of the present invention and notnecessarily in all embodiments. Thus, respective appearances of thephrases “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment”, or “in a specificembodiment” in various places throughout this specification are notnecessarily referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, theparticular features, structures, or characteristics of any specificembodiment of the present invention may be combined in any suitablemanner with one or more other embodiments. It is to be understood thatother variations and modifications of the embodiments of the presentinvention described and illustrated herein are possible in light of theteachings herein and are to be considered as part of the spirit andscope of the present invention.

It will also be appreciated that one or more of the elements depicted inthe drawings/figures can also be implemented in a more separated orintegrated manner, or even removed or rendered as inoperable in certaincases, as is useful in accordance with a particular application.

Additionally, any signal arrows in the drawings/Figures should beconsidered only as exemplary, and not limiting, unless otherwisespecifically noted. Furthermore, the term “or” as used herein isgenerally intended to mean “and/or” unless otherwise indicated.Combinations of components or steps will also be considered as beingnoted, where terminology is foreseen as rendering the ability toseparate or combine is unclear.

As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow,“a”, “an”, and “the” includes plural references unless the contextclearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein andthroughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and“on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

The foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the presentinvention, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intendedto be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise formsdisclosed herein. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, theinvention are described herein for illustrative purposes only, variousequivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of thepresent invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognizeand appreciate. As indicated, these modifications may be made to thepresent invention in light of the foregoing description of illustratedembodiments of the present invention and are to be included within thespirit and scope of the present invention.

Thus, while the present invention has been described herein withreference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification,various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoingdisclosures, and it will be appreciated that in some instances somefeatures of embodiments of the invention will be employed without acorresponding use of other features without departing from the scope andspirit of the invention as set forth. Therefore, many modifications maybe made to adapt a particular situation or material to the essentialscope and spirit of the present invention. It is intended that theinvention not be limited to the particular terms used in followingclaims and/or to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best modecontemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the inventionwill include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within thescope of the appended claims. Thus, the scope of the invention is to bedetermined solely by the appended claims.

1. A lower body garment, comprising: a body portion adapted to wornabout a waist and a lower abdomen of a wearer, said body portionincluding a generally longitudinal opening extending from a waistline ofthe lower body garment, said generally longitudinal opening defining afirst edge and second edge with said garment secured to the wearer whensaid edges are juxtaposed; and a garment closure assembly, coupled tosaid body portion near said generally longitudinal opening, including aclosure fastener coupled to said first edge and two or more matingfasteners coupled to said second edge, said closure fastener repeatablyengageable with and disengageable from one of said mating fastenerswherein a circumference of said waistline varies responsive to saidclosure fastener engaging with a particular one of said two or moremating fasteners.
 2. The lower body garment of claim 1 wherein saidfasteners include mating zippers.
 3. The lower body garment of claim 1wherein said mating fasteners define a plurality of non-parallel matingpaths with respect to one another along said second edge.
 4. The lowerbody garment of claim 3 wherein said plurality of non-parallel matingpaths diverge from one another as said mating paths approach saidwaistline.
 5. The lower body garment of claim 1 wherein said first edgeoverlies said second edge concealing said opening and said matingfasteners when said closure fastener engages any of said matingfasteners.
 6. The lower body garment of claim 5 wherein said matingfasteners define a plurality of non-parallel mating paths with respectto one another along said second edge.
 7. The lower body garment ofclaim 6 wherein said plurality of non-parallel mating paths diverge fromone another as said mating paths approach said waistline.
 8. The lowerbody garment of claim 7 wherein said fasteners include mating zippers.9. A waistline resizing method for a lower body garment worn about awaist of a wearer, the method comprising the steps of: (a) forming agenerally longitudinal opening in a body portion of the lower bodygarment, said generally longitudinal opening extending from thewaistline, said generally longitudinal opening defining a first edge anda second edge with said garment secured to the wearer when said edgesare juxtaposed; (b) disposing a closure fastener along said first edge;and (c) disposing two or more mating fasteners along said second edgewith said closure fastener repeatably engageable with and disengageablefrom one of said mating fasteners wherein a circumference of thewaistline varies responsive to said closure fastener engaging with aparticular one of said two or more mating fasteners.
 10. The waistlineresizing method of claim 9 wherein said fasteners include matingzippers.
 11. The waistline resizing method of claim 9 wherein saidmating fasteners define a plurality of non-parallel mating paths withrespect to one another along said second edge.
 12. The waistlineresizing method of claim 11 wherein said plurality of non-parallelmating paths diverge from one another as said mating paths approach saidwaistline.
 13. The waistline resizing method of claim 9 wherein saidfirst edge overlies said second edge concealing said opening and saidmating fasteners when said closure fastener engages any of said matingfasteners.
 14. The waistline resizing method of claim 13 wherein saidmating fasteners define a plurality of non-parallel mating paths withrespect to one another along said second edge.
 15. The waistlineresizing method of claim 14 wherein said plurality of non-parallelmating paths diverge from one another as said mating paths approach saidwaistline.
 16. The waistline resizing method of claim 15 wherein saidfasteners include mating zippers.